Written By: Rhea Lobo
Our favorite celebs are out and about in Burberry's trench coats. There are the Timeless Chameleons, the Showstoppers and the Smooth Operators. Which one are you?
For 170 years, the Burberry trench has been more than a coat. A derivative of Thomas Burberry’s Tielocken coat, first patented in 1912 and made with the revolutionary gabardine fabric, it has become synonymous with British culture. To mark the milestone, Burberry launched The Trench, Portraits of an Icon, a campaign celebrating the House’s most recognizable silhouette.
Courtesy of Burberry
Courtesy of Burberry
Captured entirely in black and white by British photographer Tim Walker and London-based Director Emma Dalzell-Khan, Burberry casts the trench as its own character, timeless and versatile. Showcasing 23 icons from film, fashion, music, dance, and sport, each one brings a distinct perspective to this enduring classic. Against a documentary-style backdrop, unscripted moments reveal the coat’s relevance today and the vibrant community that has grown around it, all set to Blur’s Britpop anthem Sing, a nod to Britain’s cultural legacy.
The trench itself continues to evolve. Heritage silhouettes including Kensington, Waterloo, Chelsea, Camden and Mayfair, are woven at the Keighley mill and finished in Castleford, Yorkshire. Meanwhile the fresh interpretations like the Fitzrovia and Ellingham are reimagined with volume, cropped cuts, and tropical gabardines in soft, contemporary palettes. With every belt, stitch, and collar perfected by hand, the trench remains both functional and expressive, protective and still playful. A true icon.
Now, the question isn’t just who wears it best, we’re taking to the streets to find which Burberry trench best fits you.
–THE TIMELESS CHAMELEON
Here we have the icon of icons, worn by the likes of Alexa Chung, Hikari Mori, YoonA Lim, and Icons from the campaign, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Bright, Kendall Jenner.
For the multi-facet, Honey Beige is on-the-go from dressed-down to dressed up, kitten heels to boots, trousers to jeans.
The Timeless Chameleon is classic and versatile, coming in all shapes from the Fitzrovia (Daisy Edgar-Jones) to the Camden Heritage Car Coat (Kendall Jenner).
Moreover, it’s subtly the least subtle of all – this is Burberry, baby.
Kendall Jenner | Courtesy of Burberry
Daisy Edgar-Jones | Courtesy of Burberry
Hikari Mori | Courtesy of Burberry
Alexa Chung | Courtesy of Burberry
Bright | Courtesy of Burberry
YoonA Lim | Courtesy of Burberry
–THE SHOWSTOPPER
What could go wrong in pink? The opposite of Sour, Olivia Rodrigo’s positively pink Fitzrovia trench is on board with a playfully youthful spirit.
Energetic, fun, maybe even slightly rebellious, this is unmistakably Olivia Rodrigo – a pop-punk album come to life in fashion.
Another campaign Icon, never one to deny a bold fashion moment – Miss Teyana Taylor, this is the boldest of all.
Redefining the Burberry trench is a plum baroque-print get-up, finished with a flirt of the fringe. Embodying Tey’s soulful, magnetic spirit, this Fitzrovia performs everything from vintage opulence to modern edge.
This is statement, presence, full-on fashion production – definitely not a coat for blending in.
Olivia Rodrigo | Courtesy of Burberry
Teyana Taylor | Courtesy of Burberry
Rosie Huntingon | Courtesy of Burberry
–THE SMOOTH OPERATOR
Is it the confidence? The sophistication? The mystery?
Something about black gives of major cool energy – campaign star Rosie Huntington’s shades agree.
The black Burberry is eaten up by Hudson Williams, Margot Robbie, and Ren Min, and of course, Icons Rosie Huntington and Kate Moss are no short of texture from gabardines and wool to leather and nylon. A classic trench in its own right, but broodingly so – less about tradition, more about attitude.
As timeless as Portraits of an Icon, sleek and self-assured, no need to ask, this is Sade’s Smooth Operator.
Margot Robbie | Courtesy of Burberry
Hudson Williams | Courtesy of Burberry
Kate Moss | Courtesy of Burberry
Ren Min | Courtesy of Burberry
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